We knew entering Super Bowl 57 that the Indianapolis Colts had zeroed in on Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen to be their next head coach. Steichen officially became the franchise’s 20th head coach on Tuesday. The team announced his arrival just days after he became eligible to take the promotion as the Eagles’ season ended.
Let’s dive into what the Colts are getting with Steichen and why he was a hot commodity throughout this head coach cycle.
Indianapolis Colts Hire Shane Steichen as Head Coach
The Colts hosted an exhaustive head coach search after firing Frank Reich nine games into the 2022 season. Reich won 40 of 74 games in five seasons with the franchise, but the team had stagnated after whiffing on veteran quarterback acquisitions Carson Wentz and Matt Ryan. After starting 3-5-1, the Colts shockingly replaced Reich with former Colts center Jeff Saturday.
Saturday was in consideration for the full-time job despite going 1-7 in his eight-game stint. However, the Colts, under general manager Chris Ballard, wisely opted for a coach more experienced and capable of developing a quarterback.
Shane Steichen Must Develop His Third Quarterback
Indianapolis’ decision to hire Steichen is certainly understandable. Ballard’s tenure with the Colts has been successful outside of the most important aspect that determines whether someone keeps their job or not: finding and developing a quarterback.
Steichen will need to do what Reich was unable to as the Colts opted for veterans who weren’t particularly good. Expect that to change with Steichen impacting how the team uses the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Steichen was the offensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Chargers in Justin Herbert’s rookie season in 2020, then helped develop Jalen Hurts into an MVP-caliber season in 2022 as the second-year OC with the Eagles.
Now with more influence and power, the pressure is on Steichen to identify and develop a quarterback with the Colts. They’re certainly well-positioned to draft a physically-gifted individual with their draft equity. Even if Indianapolis stays put and avoids trading up, one of the consensus top-four passes will be on the board for them.
Florida’s Anthony Richardson and Kentucky’s Will Levis are needing refinement more than Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud and Alabama’s Bryce Young but are more physically gifted. Steichen likely had less influence in his organization’s decisions to take Herbert and Hurts, but his success with each may sway what archetype he prefers.
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This decision might be the most important of Steichen’s career since missing could cost him his job in coming years. Meanwhile, he could also be the next NFL head coach wunderkind.
Steichen’s background with the Chargers and Eagles is impressive. He inherits a strong offensive line and a duo of playmakers in Michael Pittman Jr. and Jonathan Taylor, so this is far from a rebuilding team.
We also learned Colts defensive coordinator Gus Bradley will stay with the team as the two had a previous relationship in Los Angeles. This is great news for a unit that showed growth with him overseeing them in 2022. A rookie head coach with an experienced staff is a great way to reduce pressure.
I think this is a great hire for the Colts. Who they land as their next quarterback will ultimately determine their level of success, but Steichen’s résumé is fantastic for a 37-year-old.